Since hardy and adventurous explorers first stepped on the sandy shores of what would become the United States of America, they held in their stout hearts an appreciation of the vast beauty of the land, the desire to breathe the air of freedom, to experience true equality and to create opportunities to fulfill their individual dreams.

For  centuries great blessings, together with some strife, have ambled hand and hand across our land.  The sun’s rays, illuminating our unique American spirit, also display fuzzy shadows tagging along. Each year since our Country’s inception sincere and dedicated Patriots have arisen and toiled to erase one by one those shadows or clouds, the blots on the soul of our collective Freedom and Opportunities.

The United States of America is the only Country in the history of all mankind which has promised and fought to provide life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness of, by and for all American citizens rich and poor, young and old.

Our Framework of Freedom, our legacy of Liberty, our promise of Opportunity, our hope of Happiness are not amorphous.  These concepts are concrete and must be contained and assiduously defended or they will vaporize.   Our Constitution, borders and rule of law are the vessel within which our Freedom, our Opportunity and our Dream reside.  If not continually guarded, if not seriously enforced, if not continually practiced, if not safely contained, our ideals and our way of life may easily evaporate.

To the explorers.  To the indigenous people.  To those seeking religious freedom.  To the founders and designers of our Constitution and Bill of Rights.  To women’s suffrage workers.  To civil rights advocates.  To our military.  To law enforcement officers. To all men and women of good will who have stood and do now stand for Freedom and against tyranny.   And most recently to  our new President-Elect Donald Trump and all voices of the people.   On this Thanksgiving Day, 2016, we thank God and we thank all of you mentioned above for the beauty, the bounty and the blessings we American citizens enjoy living as citizens in our remarkable Republic, the United States of America.  One nation under God with respect, with liberty and with justice for all.